Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period (Bollingen Series XXXVII)

New York: Pantheon Books, 1968. Hardcover. vg. Complete 13 volume set. Lg. 4to. Blue and black cloth with gold-decorated cover and gold lettering on spine. All volumes except for XII and XIII in original printed dust jackets and slipcases. (The last two volume djs are in a different style.) A revolutionary work on the study of Jewish art, which caused art historians to reevaluate the concept of Jews in the classical period creating art. Traditionally Greeks and Jews were seen as contrasts from each other with the Greeks seen as visually centered and the Jews as aural centered. This assumption was largely based on the biblical taboo against images, which scholars assumed stopped Jews from engaging in the visual arts. Goodenough assumed the existence of a powerful Hellenistic Judaism that dominated Diaspora Judaism and which would eventually play a critical role in the formation of Christianity. This Hellenistic Judaism was more open to the use of imagery. Over the past few decades a number of scholars have come to challenge Goodenough's narrative, arguing that rabbinic Judaism was more open to images and carried greater influence in the Diaspora than previously thought. Most volumes are illustrated with b/w photographic reproductions of hundreds of Jewish objects & symbols from the Greco-Roman period. Volume III consists of b/w illustrations. Volume XI is profusely illustrated with color plates, mostly from the famous Dura Complete 13 volume set. Lg. 4to. Blue and black cloth with gold-decorated cover and gold lettering on spine. Blue top edges. All volumes in original printed dust jackets and slipcases. (The last two volume djs are in a different style.) A revolutionary work on the study of Jewish art, which caused art historians to reevaluate the concept of Jews in the classical period creating art. Traditionally Greeks and Jews were seen as contrasts from each other with the Greeks seen as visually centered and the Jews as aural centered. This assumption was largely based on the biblical taboo against images, which scholars assumed stopped Jews from engaging in the visual arts. Goodenough assumed the existence of a powerful Hellenistic Judaism that dominated Diaspora Judaism and which would eventually play a critical role in the formation of Christianity. This Hellenistic Judaism was more open to the use of imagery. Over the past few decades a number of scholars have come to challenge Goodenough's narrative, arguing that rabbinic Judaism was more open to images and carried greater influence in the Diaspora than previously thought. Most volumes are illustrated with b/w photographic reproductions of hundreds of Jewish objects & symbols from the Greco-Roman period. Volume III consists of b/w illustrations. Volume XI is profusely illustrated with color plates, mostly from the famous Dura Europos synagogue in Syria. Blue top edges of volumes XII and XIII sunned. Endpapers stained by djs. Many of the djs are sunned, particularly at the spine, creased and chipped. Volume III dj front top corner chipped. Volume IV slipcase split at the top and bottom. Books in overall very good condition. Djs in overall fair condition. Slipcases in poor condition. Overall in good to very good condition. Vol. I: The Archeological Evidence from Palestine. Vol. II: The Archeological Evidence from The Diaspora. Vol. III: Illustrations. Vol. IV: The Problem of Method. Symbols from Jewish Cult. Vol. V & VI: Fish, Bread, and Wine. Vol. VII & VIII: Pagan Symbols in Judaism. Vol. IX, X & XI: Symbolism in the Dura Synagogue. Vol. XII: Summary and Conclusions. Vol. XIII: Indexes and Maps with corrigenda.